Interesting. I disagree with many points you brought up. Intervention from earth government, defense of the base, economic impact, just to name a few things. But this was an interesting take on things.

I disagreed with everything you said here, not just because I was on the side of the Na'vi for the entire movie, but because it was presented very rudely. The Na'vi were not backwards, in fact they were advanced in a way that the humans were not with their machines and technology, and 'vastly superior' or not, the humans got their asses royally handed to them on a platter by the Na'vi. And, if Jake was so wrong for loving Neytiri, then was Belle wrong for loving the Beast? Was Eric wrong for loving Ariel? Esmerelda and Quasimodo? Helen wasn't kidnapped by Paris, she ran away with him, at the end of the Iliad she looks back on her life and thinks 'hmm, probably shouldn't have done that' but she ran away with him. Just like the Boston Massacre wasn't a massacre, neither was Helen's abduction an abduction. Please, fact check before shooting off at the mouth, or rather hand, like this.

That is an interesting take on Avatar, what if humanity simply doesn'y kill all them. I liked how you deconstructed Jake and Quaritch motivations, espcially showing how Quaritch, in spite of being considered one of the most badass villains ever made, would suck as an officer and how Jake could have avoided all of this.

Well, now go on the controversial part: Deepak's letter. As one reviewer said, he's an Eichmann, not bad or a psycho, only rational (another equivalent would Schneizel from Code Geass), rational in eliminating the Na'vi (and I'm an economist, I know very that a super-rational enemy can be scarier than an outright evil enemy). I imagine in this future there are 10 billions of people on Earth at least one of them has to have the psychological elements to push the big red button and this person is Deepak, and thankfully there are few people like him. Still, as a fic, it makes the reader think about it. But I still think that, while you urge to us put ourselves in Deepak's place (I like to believe that I wouldn't do that, in the same conditions, even considering that I have to put humanity needs in first place), why don't put ourselves in the Na'vi's place? If this story was longer, it would be a dark comedy.

By the way, as already pointed in earlier reviews, I think you give way too much credit to the RDA in the technology department, by this time everyone knows that they were short on supply of them, because, you know, it's a good distance. Sully was converted to a hippie way of thinking, because of everything Pandora provides to them, it was utilitarian and convenient, in stark contrast with Earth (writing this, I realized that if the aesop of the film were "technology cannot solve all our problems" rather than the ridiculous "green is good, gray is bad", the film would be much better) Yeah, the romantic subplot is of no good, like anything related to the original plot, but this example is relatively tamed, when people is writing romance, they can be pretty scary...

great story, definitly needed amongst all the other kinds of avatar-fics on this site.

You manage to point out the crucial factors to why it happens. Humanity needs/depends on Unobtanium. Sure, we could survive without it, but as you said our economy would take a heavy hit, causing an economic depression. Fun fact, that happened before about 80 years ago, which had some interesting consequences.

Some reviewers want us to view this objectively, condeming us for putting humanity before Na'vi, but the truth is that we are humans and in the end we will put ourselves first, just like any other species. The Na'vi weren't exactly eager to learn anything from us either.

The universe isn't there to coddle us, its' cold and uncaring.

PS. The reason they used astroids is clearly stated, plausible deniability. There will be conspiracies but nothing that can be proven. Great fic

brrt chapter 1 . 1/21/2012

Great story, re-watched Avatar recently and it reminded me of all the things I originally found annoying about it. I think your fic included just about all of them.

I can guess why Sully went native though. For a marine who has their identity so enmeshed with their physical prowess, being back in a working body would have been a high like no other. Added to the fact that his thoughs while in the avatar are chemically Navi, so attraction to Neytiri can be kind of explained.

Still, he was offered legs back by if mining got back on track, so he should have kept his eyes on the prize, and realised that with humans in planetary orbit, the Navi only had as much future as humanity allowed.

Wow. I never really thought that deeply about it. Oh, don't get me wrong, I was on the Human's side the whole time. I didn't agree with what the mining company did but I wasn't about to side with blue cat people. I did enjoy the movie but to me Jake was a traitor to his race and his calling as a soldier. I have no doubt in my mind that Humanity would come back. We're stubborn bastards. Heh. If they had been facing Space Marines from Warhammer: 40,000 they wouldn't have stood a chance. Insightful and intriguing. Hope to see more of your work and thankful for what you've already written.

"Why does Sully think that its better to live as a pre-historic people with all the curses that come with it – uncertainty over next meal, disease, reduced lifespan – is better than living in the modern world with all that entails (education, freedom to choose your life, medicine, security, health, wealth, etc)?"

You assume that the Navi, who we would parallel as pre-history humans, have the same dangers humans did. There were no examples of disease in Pandora, so perhaps viruses and bacteria aren't rampant on Pandora like they are on Earth, or perhaps the Navi have incredible immune systems. Also, perhaps the "uncivilized" Navi tend to live longer even than the longest human life span? Honestly, the biggest perk of Pandora is Eywa. The best metaphor for Eywa: can you imagine what Earth would be like if Jesus spoke back to us regularly and tangibly?

You have made a lot of good points, with which I completely agree. A very good fic. However, if "What kind of a freak and a pervert is Sully to fall in love with an alien? etc. ", are indeed your true sentiments, then I have to wonder about how "alien" equals "animal", and where the cognitive and social parts of love have gone? Considering that love is not just the mammalian drive, it also includes respect (preferably, mutual respect), honor, soul, honesty, acceptance, affinity, bonding, admiration, friendship, comradeship etc. However, that question answered a few of my own regarding the characters of "Best Laid Plans".

seems to be just the same old argument for stealing, killing and raping: "I am stronger, so i am allowed to".

Let's say we are neighbours, and we both need to grow the food for our families in our gardens (no supermarkets or farms here...).

After some time i prefer to turn my garden into a parking lot for my oldtimer collection, and then i start to come over and take the food out of your garden (of course without asking you), while destroying more and more of your plants...

Hey - i am rightfully doing so, my garden is a parking lot now! I need that food, i will starve if i don't take it!

You try to prevent me from taking? Hey, now i have to kill you!

That's your logic here. Which translates plainly to "the stronger entity is entitled to get everything and is allowed to kill when, where and whatever it wants to".

In real life, this kind of thinking fortunately leads to failure in the long run, as the U.S.A. is experiencing right now.

Just a sidenote: What lies about the human race was Sully feeding to Eywa? I couldn't find one - what he said sounded all too true, you are proof of it.